Connecting the Dots
by silverstairs
Summary: "You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future." - Steve Jobs. A story of how two agents connect first as co-workers, to trusted friends to the hope of something more? Until the past Emily has been trying to forget catches up with her and breaks their connection.


**Connecting The Dots**

_ Chapter 1:The newest addition to the team_

"_Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success." – Dale Carnegie_

She was nervous, that was for sure. It wasn't everyday your dream job falls effortlessly into your lap after trying and failing to achieve it for so long. If that wasn't enough to put her on edge the three cups of coffee she'd had while waiting for S.S.A. Hotchner to arrive certainly wasn't helping.

After what felt like hours of waiting, which in reality was only twenty seven minutes, a tall man with raven black hair strode through the office. Immediately she could tell that he was S.S.A. Aaron Hotchner. He just oozed authority. The sense of confidence in his gait showed that he was comfortable and capable in this environment as well as being the team's leader which was no mean feat. "Damnit", Emily thought to herself, "Not even two minutes into the job and I'm already profiling my boss." A kneejerk reaction at this stage she supposed.

Emily let him settle down in his office before she gathered up her box and paperwork and knocked on his office door. "Deep breathes Emily, deep breaths", she thought before entering the room after hearing a polite, "Come in." "Hi", she said, clambering into the office with that awkward box trying not to beam too much. "Hi", Agent Hotchner replied in a reserved tone.

"Agent Hotchner?" she asked as her breath hitched in her throat with nerves. "Yes", came the curt response. "I'm Agent Emily Prentiss." He extended his hand, "How do you do?" then recognition sparked in his eyes, "Oh you're Ambassador Prentiss' daughter, I did security clearances for your mother's staff, it was one of my first commands. I believe you were off to Brown at the time?"  
"Actually it was Yale"  
"Ah"  
"I've been in the Bureau almost ten years now." A look of incredulity passed his face, "Don't tell me it's been that long", he half- laughed, the difference even a hint of a smile made to his face was incredible. It was like when the clouds suddenly clear on a cold day and the sun appears for an instant and warms everything it touches, but all to quickly it was hidden again by the clouds of professionalism and formality.

Emily was mesmerised by the smile before she realised she'd paused a bit too long to respond, it was pauses like these that could give someone away in an instant, especially to one of the best B.A.U. agents, S.S.A. Hotchner.  
"Apparently sir, but I work mostly in the mid-west, St. Louis, Chicago", she blurted out still smiling a smile that wouldn't be out of place on a deranged serial killer if it weren't for her warm brown eyes that showed her sincerity. "Good, your parents well?", "This is odd", Emily thought. "Shouldn't he be briefing me on the job? Something isn't right"  
"Yeah, yeah they're great", she responded her smile fading a little. "Excellent", he paused as if at a loss for words, "what can I do for you?"  
"Maybe this was some joke he was playing. Maybe he did this to every newbie", she thought desperately to herself. Even though deep down she knew that wasn't him.  
"Um, well I was hoping you could tell me where to put my stuff." His brows furrowed as confusion clouded his face, "I'm sorry?"

She felt like throwing up or passing out or something equally as dramatic. Perhaps he'd take pity on her after she collapsed and he'd give her the job. It had happened on America's Next Top Model only the night before, but Aaron Hotchner wasn't Tyra Banks.

All these thoughts were swirling around her mind as she was panicking, "Deep breaths Emily, deep breaths", she thought to herself but she couldn't help but think sarcastically, "Yeah, cos that's helped you soo much so far."

"I-I'm supposed to start here today at the B.A.U.", she managed to stutter.  
"There's been a mistake", any trace of the warmth that had been in his voice had completely vanished.  
"I don't think so, sir", she replied boldly, hoping that this was all some big misunderstanding.  
"There's definitely been a mistake", he replied instantaneously.

Tears welled up in Emily's eyes just then a distraction in the form of a pretty blond woman with cornflower blue eyes showed up. She interrupted with a soft knock on the already ajar door.  
"Oh, s'cuse me, uh we're getting started", she directed at Agent Hotchner while looking at Emily suspiciously.  
"Thank you, I'll be right there. I didn't approve this transfer Agent Prentiss, I'm sorry for the confusion but you've been misinformed, excuse me, it was very good to see you again", he said this all in one breath before striding out of his office without her.

"Uh", Emily geniusly responded. Hopelessly trying to follow him out of the office with that cursed box.

If that wasn't bad enough she could here herself being discussed by Agent Hotchner with another agent. The man was older but appeared to be of equal ranking. He at least tried to keep his voice down and the furtive looks to a minimum. 

"Did you approve a new transfer?", Agent Hotchner said as he strode over to join the other profiler.  
"No, I would've discussed it with you", the elder agent responded.  
"She's got the paperwork to join the team", only he could make the word paperwork sound like a curse word. The other agent's eyebrows rose at this as he offered, "Huh, you want me to make a call?"  
"No", Hotchner replied curtly, "I'll look into it", and with one more scathing look at Emily he disappeared from her view.

Emily felt like she was dirt on the floor. Even at her most awkward stages in high school she'd never felt as humiliated or as disappointed as this.

So with a heavy heart she drove home to her new apartment. "At least I haven't unpacked many of the boxes yet", she thought to herself cynically. She sat down in her new apartment, with its view of the city as the full impact of the day's events hit her. The tears she'd been holding in all day came pouring down her cheeks. She allowed all the disappointment at what could've been flow out.

"Funny how it seems a good cry can make you feel better sometimes", she thought. Then she remembered what caused her to cry the last time. With a sad smile she got off the couch, went to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of red wine. "It's going to be a long night", she thought to herself wistfully.

She awoke the next morning feeling calm, "No pounding headache from the night before?, she questioned. She opened her eyes only to close them again to the strong light. When her eyes adjusted she saw the same glass of wine from the night before on her coffee table untouched. She breathed a shaky sigh of relief and realised what she had to do.

Yet again Emily found herself on the opposite side of an office door. There would be no calming breaths this time instead she knocked and waited till she heard a woman reply, "Enter." At the summons Emily purposefully entered the office and addressed the woman, "Section Chief Strauss", she said politely as she shook the older woman's hand. "Agent Prentiss, what can I do for you? Are you settling in alright?", Strauss asked. Emily braced herself, "Well ma'am, there appears to be a problem with my paperwork, my supervisor didn't get any before my arrival and therefore considers it invalid." Oddly enough the Section Chief looked smug, she quickly changed her expression to one of incredulity. "How could this have happened? Typical Hotchner so unwilling to accept change", she babbled in like this for a while until she said, "Don't worry about it, I'll do the paperwork myself this time and make sure it gets to him."

Emily nearly collapsed in relief but there was just one more thing she had to get out of the way first. It had been in the back of her mind since she got the job. "I have one more question to ask ma'am." Strauss inclined her head and said, "Go on."  
"Did my mother have any hand in my procuring of this position ma'am?"  
Strauss smiled, "I was wondering when you were going to ask that, but no she didn't have any hand in it, I received an excellent recommendation from one of your former colleagues and thought you'd be the best person to fill the void in the B.A.U. after the departure of Agent Greenaway." Emily was stunned and managed to get out, "Thank you ma'am, I won't let you down."  
"I feel you'll be an excellent addition to the unit and to me", Strauss replied with a glint in her eye. "Thank you ma'am", Emily repeated before she left the room with a mild sense of foreboding.

By the time she'd gotten home, however, she was ecstatic it was just a miscommunication with administration and her mother hadn't used her influence to get it. It was all of her own accord, she was practically glowing with pride and happiness. All that was left to do was convince S.S.A. Aaron Hotchner.

So for the third time that week she found herself at the B.A.U. offices. She was feeling optimistic again after her meeting with Strauss and some much needed retail therapy. He wasn't back from their latest case yet but she didn't mind waiting. The new paperwork had been dropped off along with a new case file about a serial killer in Indiana. She had already constructed a profile by the time Agent Hotchner arrived back at his office. "Well this is it", she thought, "Time to prove myself." As the Agent walked into his office he detected her presence and his shoulders sagged when he saw her.

"Please tell me you haven't been here for the last four days", he said wearily. "What a charmer", she thought to herself sarcastically. "I heard you were flying back tonight", she replied. He said guardedly, "How could you have heard a thing like that?" She handed him her new paperwork in response and said, "This was dropped off today." He looked at the paperwork as if it was insulting him. "I appreciate your interest agent but profiling is a speciality we can't just let anyone in who wants to give it a whirl," he said rather harshly. "Well it's now or never", she thought, "Time to prove myself."  
"The I-80 killer? Co-eds in Indiana?" she questioned.  
"Yes I read it on the plane", he answered unaware of where she was going with this. Without skipping a beat she started reciting the profile she'd put together. "They aren't blitz attacks, this guy's organised, white male early thirties and a smooth talker too because even after eleven victims he can still convince educated women to get into his car." She knew she'd sparked his interest when he challenged, "How would you advise the police?" She was prepared for this as she replied without hesitation. "I would stake out The Ranch House, a popular night club in Geary they have a very popular ladies night on Thursday's." She paused, took a deep breath and said imploringly, "This isn't a whirl Agent Hotchner. I don't know how the paperwork got screwed up. Or maybe you believe my parents pulled some strings, which they didn't by the way", she hastily added. She continued on with passion in her voice, "I belong in this unit and all I'm asking you for is the chance to show that."  
"I still need to look into this, I'm not promising anything", he said brusquely. At least he hadn't rejected her again so she replied instantaneously, "Understood", trying to keep the happy hopefulness out of her voice. "We brief new cases every morning at ten am, you can see facilities management about a desk", he said back to his business like tone. With that she knew she was dismissed. "You won't be sorry", she added on her way out biting her lip in an attempt to hold back what would have been a heart stopping smile.


End file.
